Aneroid barometric parachute release



J. A. GAYLORD ANEROID BAROMETRIC PARACHUTE RELEASE Filed Dec. 28, 1953 Aug. 2s, 1955 United States Patent O ANEROID BAROMETRIC PARACHUTE RELEASE John A. Gaylord, 'Pacific Palisades, Calif.

yApplication December 28, 1953, Serial No. 400,516

8 Claims. (Cl. 244-150) This invention relates to a device for automatically releasing a parachute.

The parachute release of `the present invention is designed to operate with as little eiort as possible on the part .of the operator. The release of vthe present invention comprises an yassembly of three units, each unit being constructed so that `it ,can l.be .built `separately and tested separately before the three units are assembled or joined together, and in this `way the construction is simplified, the testing operation is simplied, ,and the device insured against failure, and results positive in loperation.

The first unit of the present invention consists of an .air lpressure bottle which contains air pressure suliicient for actuation of the parachute rip cord. The release of the present invention in its preferred form has been designed to have a pressure of about 200 pounds pull on the rip cord, which is about tive times the pressure required for operating the same. The first yunit of the invention includes, in addition to the air bottle, a needle lfor piercing the Aair bottle. This needle is mounted on a piston normally urged'to piercing position by a spring and there is provided a release pin for this piston normally restraining its operation. The initiation of the actuation of the device of the Ipresent invention is by pulling this release pin so that the needle may pierce the `air bottle 4whereupon the released air pressure will opcrate upon the piston mounting the piercing needle so as to retract the same into position where it is again held by the release pin. The iirst unit of the present invention also includes a cocking bar for utilization in cooking the spring-actuated piston holding the piercing needle. This unit is constructed so as to be mainly mounted in a tube and adapted to be tested independent of the remaining units of the invention, the remaining units being connected thereto by an air tube.

The second and main unit of the present invention is a valve and actuating mechanism designed to regulate the passage of the actuating air pressure from the lirst unit to the third unit or rip cord actuating unit. The valve and valve-actuating mechanism comprises a valve which is connected for operation to a vacuum bellows provided with suitable adjusting means, the vacuum bellows being intended for normally actuating a valve in the pressure supply system only after a fall to a particular altitude corresponding to that for which the vacuum bellows is adjusted to function. The valve and actuating means of this second unit also includes valve means adjustable for regulating the rate of flow of air pressure to the rip cord pulling unit after the vacuum bellows has opened the valve associated therewith. This unit is likewise assembled in the tube` complete for operation and testing independent of the other elements.

`The third and separately constructed unit of the present invention is the rip cord pulling element which comprises an air-actuated piston to be connected with the rip cord of the parachute. This air piston is designed to provide about a four inch pull on the rip cord, and the ICC .unit has also associated therewith an exhaust valve and an adjustment valve for regulating the rate of exhaust after Vthe exhaust valve has been opened. This vunit may be completely constructed and assembled and tested asa separate unit independent .of the other elements Aof the parachute'release of lthe present invention.

The parachute release of the present invention Vrequires very little efrort on the -part of the operator.' He is merely required to pull the release pin which holds the piston carrying the bottle-piercing needle. Thereafter the actuation of the parachute release is automatic. If the operator is going to jump at a higher altitude than the device is set for operation, the release pin .may be pulled by the operator before he jumps and the operator will descend without the parachute opening untilv the altitude is reached at which the release is set for operation. When this altitude is reached a slow but positive pull is applied to the rip .cord of the parachute to Vopen the same, and adjustment means are provided so that the operation of pulling and opening the chute -may take place any desired time after the proper altitude is reached, such for example, as four seconds.

The parachute release of the lpresent invention may also be used when the operator is required to jump at a lower altitude than the one for which the release is adjusted for operation. ln such a case the release of the present invention will ystart to operate immediately after the release pin for the bottle-piercing needle has been pulled but there will be a regulated period of time, such for example, as four seconds, before the operation of pulling the rip cord has been completed.

The aneroid barometric parachute release of the present invention, together with further advantages of the invention, will be fully understood from the following description of the preferred example of the invention. For that purpose I have hereafter described a preferred example of the invention in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation mainly in vertical section;

Figure 2 is an end elevation; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan View of certain of the adjusting means employed for setting the altitude of operation of the vacuum bellows.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates an outer casing or body in which the three main and separately constructed and tested units of the present `invention `are mounted. The rst unit of the present invention comprises a tube 2 which serves mainly as a container for the air bottle 3. A screw cap 4 is provided at the end of the tube 2 by means of which the air bottle has its neck pressed against a flexible seat 5. As pointed out, the air bottle 3 is closed at its neck by a wall adapted to be pierced by a needle 6, and the air bottle normally will contain air pressure, such for example, as 1000 pounds. The piercing needle is mounted by a needle retainer 6a in turn threaded to a piston 10. The piston 10 is movable in a cylinder 18, which is threaded to the bottle containing tube 2 and provides a mounting for the ilexible bottle seat 5. Y

The piston 10 is provided with a flexible airtight cup 8 normally pressed against the bore of the cylinder 18 by ring expansion spring 9. At the end of the cylinder 18 there is provided a cap 16 and a piston spring 11 is mounted between this cap and the shoulder of the piston for normally urging the piston in the direction to cause the needle 6 to pierce the air bottle 3. The space in the cylinder 1S back to the rear of the ilexible cup 8 is vented to the atmosphere by air holes 17a. The piston 10 is provided with an annular groove which receives a pin forming part of a combined piston and release pin 20, and the cylinder 18 has a laterally extending tubular portion mounting this piston ring release spring kat the end of which there is provided a cap 22 having a central aperture through which extends a pull cable 23 which is attached to the piston and release pin 20.

A spring 21 normally urges the release pin towards the `piston `18 under a mild pressure, such for example, as

' aboutl 41/2 pounds. Y

- The rst unit also includes a cocking bar 1'2Y which is threaded'to thecap 16, and preferably rexternally yof the cap, with the knob 13. The cocking bar 12 enters a bore of the piston and at its inner end is provided with a ring 15 pinned to the cooking bar, which ring is intended'for contacting a retaining ring 14 aflixed lto the cylinder 18. The cooking bar is for moving the piston 10 to the position indicated in Figure l or the Vis provided by which the tirst unit is connected by an air tube 24a with the second unit.

The second unit comprises a valve bodyV 25 which also serves to mount a porous air ltering medium 26 in a` recess closed by a lter cap and gasket 26a. The air entering the tube 24a passes through the ltering medium l26 to an air passage 27 which, as viewed in Figure l, is indicated as closed by a needle valve 28. The needle valve 28 is mounted by a valve shaft 29 which is enlarged, as indicated at 29a, to provide a second valve seat for sealing an exhaust outlet. This valve head 29a'is movable as later explained, into contact with the ilexible valve seat 30 thereby closingol the exhaust of air around the valve shaft 29. Beyond the needle valve 28 Vthere are air ports, one branch of which leads tothe :apparatus shown in the position of Figure l, to the exhaust passage around the valve shaft. f The other branch leads to an air regulating -valve 32 which is a screw threaded valve engaging a packing nut 32a, in turn engaging the packing 32b.. This valve regulates the ow of air to the rip-cord pullingV element of the invention so as to provide a desired time delay interval, as hereafter more fully explained.' f l The.valve body 25 Vis threaded to the cap 33 which also provides a supporting means for the flexible valve seat.30. The valve shaft 29 is threaded Vto the case 36 of Va vacuum bellows and a locknut 35 is provided. The vacuum bellows of the present invention has with initscase 36 a plurality of collapsible bellowsmembers .43 mounted spaced apart by spacers 42. The vacuum bellows of the present invention is one in which ythe space 41 lin the case exterior to the bellows 43 is intended t0 be evacuated, for which purpose the evacuated tip 41a is indicated. The bellows members are intended to interiorly vhave a pressure equal to atmospheric pressure, Y

and accordingly vthe greater the atmospheric pressure the greater will be the'relative expansion and spacing between independentibellows members43. A bellows shaft 37 is provided which is enlarged at its right end to contact the righthand bellows 43.V This shaft is in turn attached to an adjustment screw 38. The adjustment screw 38 Yis providedV with two adjusting nuts 46 by means of which its axial position may be varied. The adjusting nuts 46 contact on one side the block 47 axed to a mounting tube 49 and at the other end block 48 are afxed to the tube 49 and held in spaced relation by the pin 39. .The tube 49 extends to the end of this unit and supports the valve body 25 in rigid spaced relation with theV block 47 and block members 48. There is also provided an adjusting nut 44 threaded to the adjustment screw 38, which nut 44 provides a seat for the spring 40 which engages the case 36 of the vacuum bellows. This nut 44 thereby provides a means for adjusting the spring pressure urging the bellows case to the right,as viewed in Figure l, in the direction of closing the valve needle 28. The nut 44, as shown in Figure 3, is preferably knurled and graduated, the graduationV indicating the altitude at which the needle valve 28 will be retracted from its seat.

The tube 49 is preferably provided with a sliding door 49a which normally covers the adjusting nut 44 but which may be opened when it is desired to set the proper altitude of operation of the device. There is also provided a cover plate and indicator 80 which is provided with a wire cooperating with the graduation on the adjusting nut 44. This plate 80 is removed hom the tube 49 when (at the factory) the adjusting nut 46 is to be set. There is preferably provided on the block 47 a spring-pressed dog which is to engage cooperating recesses in the pressure adjusting nut 44 for yieldingly locking said nut in an adjusted position.

The second unit with all its elements assembled with or f mounted by the tubing 49 may be completely tested independently of the other units and is assembled in the completed release of the present invention merely by connection with the'case 1, the use of tube 24a, and also a tube 34 connecting the discharge of the air passage 31 into the pneumatic release plunger unit, which is the third unit of the device of the present invention. This unit comprises the pneumatic piston 50 which is provided with a exible cup leather 51 behind which is a ring expansion spring 52 which forms a pneumatic seal with the walls of a tube 75 which forms the cylinder of the pneumatic plunger. A retaining nut 53 is provided for retaining'the flexible cup leather 51 to the piston 50 and this nut also has aixed thereto the parachute release wire which is to be pulled for opening the parachute. The wire 60 is attached to the nut 53 by a nut 54 preferably held in position by a lock screw 55. The cylinder 75 is indicated as having a head providing a packing seat and screw 62 for supporting a graphite packing 61 contacted by a wire housing retainer 63. Within this wire housing retainer 63 extends a wire housing tube 64 which consists essentially of a parachute release wire 60 around which is a spirally wound square wire 56 and a woven insulating cover.

There is also provided` a collar 65 on the piston 50 which contacts a valve 66 retaining that valve closed Vagainst the exible seat 68 until the piston 50 has traveled to the left suciently to release valve 66. Opposite the valve 66 on the cylinder 75 there is provided a bearing block 67 vwhich contacts collar 65. A valve retaining nut 69 is provided for retaining the ilexible valve seat 68 :in

position and this nut contacts gasket 70. Here the channel 71 leads from the nut 69 to an adjusting valve 74 which may be employed for adjusting the rate of flow through passage 71. The adjusting valve 74 includes a packing nut 74a engaging the packing l7417. From the valve 74 air may be exhausted to the atmosphere. The j structed and assembled the piercing needle 6 is moved to the cocked position by utilization of the cooking bar 12.

The air bottle 3 is then inserted and held in place by the cap 4. Whenever the pull cord 23 is pulledthe piercing needle 6 will pierce the air bottle 3 whereupon the air pressure from that bottle will enterl space V7. The piercing needle which is mounted by the cylinder 10 will be promptly forced back by the air pressure to the cooking position where it will be automatically held by the springactuated release pin 20. Air pressure from the bottle 3 passes from the space 7 through tube 24a to the second unit where it encounters the needle valve 28 and here is refrained from further movement until needle 28 is actuated. The air passage beyond needle valve 2S is at this time connected with an exhaust opening to the atmosphere whereby there is eliminated any vacuum or air pressure locked in the system. As the parachute drops the atmospheric pressure with the bellows members 43 increases with the resulting pressure tending to increase the space between successive bellows members or to urge the bellows case 36 to the left against the action of the spring 40. This action is resisted by spring 49 until the altitude is reached at which the device was set to operate, whereupon the case 36 moves to the left taking valve 28 from its seat. Simultaneously, the valve 29a closes the exhaust port by contacting the exible seat 30. The air from the bottle 3 now passes to the valve 32 which has been set into a position to allow a regulated rate of iiow of air to tube 34 against the pneumatic plunger or piston 50 which is to actuate the parachute release wire. The pressure builds up against the pneumatic piston regulated by the valve 32 causing a pull on the rip cord with a movement of the piston or plunger to the left until eventually collar 65 clears the valve 66 in which an exhaust port of that line 71 is opened to the atmosphere. This exhaust is also regulated by a valve.

After one use of the parachute release of the present invention it is simply necessary to insert a new air bottle 3 in place of the exhausted unit and reconnect the nut 53 to the release wire to be actuated by the unit.

While the particular form of therinvention herein illustrated is well designed to carry out the objects of the present invention, this invention is of the scope set forth in the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A parachute release comprising, an air bottle, mechanism for piercing said air bottle, an air passage for air from the pierced bottle to a pneumatic piston, means for attaching a parachute release wire to said piston, valve means in said passage, a vacuum bellows for opening said valve at a predetermined atmospheric pressure, said vacuum bellows including a casing having a plurality of bellows members mounted therein, a shaft attached to said bellows members, adjusting means for mounting said shaft, an adjusting nut on said shaft, and a spring between said uut and the case of said vacuum bellows.

2. A parachute release comprising, an air bottle, mechanism for piercing said air bottle, an air passage for air from the pierced bottle to a pneumatic piston, means for attaching a parachute release wire to said piston, valve means in said passage, a vacuum bellows for opening sai rl valve at a predetermined atmospheric pressure, an adjusting valve independent of said bellows actuated Valve for regulating the rate of ow of air to said parachute release wire actuating piston, and an exhaust line from said piston, including a further valve means for adjusting the rate of discharge from said exhaust.

3. A parachute release comprising, an air bottle, mechanism for piercing said air bottle, an air passage for air from the pierced bottle to a pneumatic piston, means for attaching a parachute release Wire to said piston, valve means in said passage, a vacuum bellows for opening said valve at a predetermined atmospheric pressure, an exhaust passage connected to the air passage between said valve and piston, and valve means for closing said exhaust actuated on the operation of said vacuum bellows.

4. A parachute release comprising, essentially three units, each adapted to be separately constructed and tested, and means for supporting the three units with air tube connections between the same, one of said units comprising an air bottle, an air bottle piercing mechanism, and a release pin for said piercing mechanism, the second unit comprising a vacuum bellows actuating valve mechanism for controlling the rate of iiow from the air bottle to the third unit, said mechanism including means for adjusting said mechanism to operate at a desired atmospheric pressure, and the third unit comprising a pneumatic piston for attachment to a parachute release wire actuated by air pressure under the control of the mechanism of the second unit.

5. A parachute release comprising, essentially three units, each adapted to be separately constructed and tested, and means for supporting the three units with air tube connections between the same, one of said units comprising an air bottle, an air bottle piercing mechanism, and a release pin for said piercing mechanism, the second unit comprising a vacuum bellows actuating valve mechanism for controlling the rate of ow from the air bottle to the third unit, said mechanism including means for adjusting said mechanism to operate at a desired atmospheric pressure, and an exhaust line for the passage between said valve and piston, and means actuated by said bellows for closing said exhaust valve.

6. A parachute release comprising, essentially three units, each adapted to be separately constructed and tested, and means for supporting the three units with air tube connections between the same, one of said units comprising an air bottle, an air bottle piercing mechanism, and a release pin for said piercing mechanism, the second unit comprising a vacuum bellows actuating valve mechanism for controlling the rate of ow from the air bottle to the third unit, said mechanism including means for adjusting said mechanism to operate at a desired atmospheric pressure, and the third unit comprising a pneumatic piston for attachment to a parachute release wire actuated by air pressure under the control of the mechanism of the second unit, and an exhaust line for said piston, a valve actuated by said piston.

7. A parachute release comprising a pneumatic piston having means for attachment to a parachute release wire, a bottle for retaining air under pressure normally sealed, a passage from said bottle to said pneumatic piston, a second piston having a piercing element movable to pierce the seal of said air bottle and movable on piercing of said seal to retracted position, spring means for normally urging said latter piston to the piercing position, and a spring-pressed release pin normally maintaining said latter piston in retracted position.

8. A parachute release comprising, a pneumatic piston having means for attachment to a parachute release wire, a bottle for retaining air under pressure normally sealed, a passage from said bottle to said pneumatic piston, a second piston having a piercing element movable to pierce the seal of said air bottle and movable on piercing of said seal to retracted position, spring means for normally urging said latter piston to the piercing position, a springpressed release pin normally maintaining said latter piston in retracted position, a barometn'c actuated valve in the line between said air bottle and a parachute wire actuated piston, and means for adjusting said barometric actuated valve to operate at a predetermined altitude.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,504,148 Ogden Apr. 18, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 486,138 Canada Sept. 2, 1952 970,849 France June 28, 1950 

